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Chicago, November 17, 2025 \u2014 Chicago Bears legend and Super Bowl XX\u2013winning head coach Mike Ditka unleashed one of his most explosive rants in years after a blatant, uncalled facemask by Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips on running back Travis Homer sparked outrage across the league. The incident occurred during the Bears\u2019 dramatic 19\u201317 comeback victory and immediately drew scrutiny from analysts, fans, and former players.<\/p>\n
Speaking on \u201cThe Score 670,\u201d later reposted by ESPN Chicago, Ditka delivered a blistering statement that instantly went viral. He declared that he was \u201csick\u201d of the clich\u00e9 \u201cdon\u2019t blame the refs,\u201d insisting the no-call was far beyond a routine mistake. According to Ditka, what happened to Travis Homer \u2014 whose facemask was yanked twice in full view of the referee \u2014 was \u201cnot a missed call but a crime,\u201d and he made it clear that Chicago fans should not be expected to stay silent about what he called \u201coutright injustice.\u201d<\/p>\n
The controversial play unfolded at 8:12 in the third quarter on a 3rd-and-5 at the Vikings\u2019 18-yard line. Homer took the handoff and was immediately grabbed by Phillips, who violently twisted his facemask, sending him to the ground. A referee was positioned barely two yards away yet never reached for his flag. FOX broadcasters reacted instantly, calling it \u201cas obvious as it gets,\u201d while the Bears were forced to settle for a field goal instead of a potential touchdown opportunity.<\/p>\n
The clip posted by journalist Jordan Schultz surpassed 2.1 million views within hours, igniting a firestorm among Bears fans. Social media users revived the term \u201cBears tax,\u201d a long-standing joke about Chicago being short-changed by officiating. Ditka\u2019s comments poured fuel on the anger as hashtags #FireTheRefs and #DaBears shot into Chicago\u2019s top trending topics. Former linebacker Lance Briggs publicly backed Ditka, saying he \u201cspoke for every single one of us.\u201d Even head coach Matt Eberflus, usually composed, acknowledged in his postgame presser that the play was \u201cobvious\u201d and would be sent to the league office for review.<\/p>\n
Despite the controversy, Chicago walked away with a thrilling 19\u201317 win, sealed by Cairo Santos\u2019 48-yard field goal as time expired, improving the team to 7\u20133. But even with the victory, the missed facemask remains one of the most talked-about moments of the season \u2014 and Mike Ditka, at age 86, may have delivered the final blow to the old mantra \u201cDon\u2019t blame the refs,\u201d reminding the NFL that Chicago will not stay quiet when fairness is on the line.<\/p>\n
This is the kind of adversity the\u00a0Philadelphia Eagles\u00a0have avoided to this point in the season. Now, they\u2019ll have to figure out how to replace one of the NFL\u2019s elite players.<\/p>\n
Multiple reports on Monday, November 17, said that 5-time NFL All-Pro right offensive tackle and 2-time Super Bowl champion\u00a0Lane Johnson\u00a0could land on injured reserve and miss 4-6 weeks with a\u00a0Lisfranc sprain in his foot\u00a0suffered in a 16-9 win over the\u00a0Detroit Lions\u00a0in Week 11.<\/p>\n
\u201cEagles five-time All-Pro OT\u00a0Lane\u00a0Johnson\u00a0suffered a Lisfranc injury during Sunday night\u2019s win over the Lions, per sources,\u201d\u00a0ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter\u00a0wrote on his official X account. \u201cIt is not expected to be a season ending injury, but he could be headed to injured reserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson left the game against the Lions and didn\u2019t return, as did center\u00a0Cam Jurgens. Johnson was replaced in the lineup by\u00a0Fred Johnson.<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-6, 325-pound Johnson is widely considered one of the greatest offensive linemen not just in Eagles history but in\u00a0NFL\u00a0history and a likely future Pro Football Hall of Famer.<\/p>\n
Johnson is in his 13th season and signed a 1-year, $25 million contract extension this offseason and has approximately $163.4 million in career earnings.<\/p>\n
\u201cEagles\u00a0OT\u00a0Lane\u00a0Johnson, one of the game\u2019s best, suffered a Lisfranc sprain Sunday,\u201d\u00a0NFL Network\u2019s Ian Rapoport\u00a0wrote on his official X account. \u201cHe\u2019s out the next 4-6 weeks because of the foot injury, but will seek a second opinion and more tests. This likely lands him on IR, but belief is not season-ending.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johnson\u2019s latest injury underlined bigger injury issues the Eagles have dealt with all season on the offensive line when it comes to their 5 projected starters.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere\u2019s an underrated Eagles storyline that could explain Philadelphia\u2019s offensive struggles:\u00a0Jordan Mailata,\u00a0Landon Dickerson,\u00a0Cam\u00a0Jurgens,\u00a0Tyler Steen\u00a0and\u00a0Lane\u00a0Johnson\u00a0have played every offensive snap in just ONE game this season,\u201d\u00a0Philly Special\u2019s Anthony DiBona\u00a0wrote on his official X Account.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like Lane Johnson might be getting to the point of his career that\u00a0Jason Peters\u00a0was at the end, where he\u2019s still really good when he\u2019s on the field, but injuries pull him off relatively frequently,\u201d\u00a0Bleacher Report\u2019s Tim Kelly\u00a0wrote on X.<\/p>\n
\u201cLane Johnson is a first ballot HOF and one of the best Eagles of all time,\u201d\u00a0Eagles fan Patrick Philly PMC\u00a0wrote on his official X account. \u201cBut Father Time is undefeated. The Eagles need to find his replacement.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Week 10, Johnson left a Monday Night Football win over the\u00a0Green Bay Packers\u00a0with an ankle injury and returned to the game.<\/p>\n
Now, the Eagles will likely have to figure out how to maneuver the rest of the season without one of the NFL\u2019s dominant blockers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe good news is Fred\u00a0Johnson\u00a0is a solid\u00a0Lane\u00a0Johnson\u00a0replacement for a few weeks,\u201d\u00a0Go Birds Pod podcast host Eliot Shorr-Parks\u00a0wrote on his official X account. \u201cThe bad news is now that 6-man OLine they have loved this season is now worse with\u00a0Matt Pryor in Fred\u2019s place.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chicago, November 17, 2025 \u2014 Chicago Bears legend and Super Bowl XX\u2013winning head coach Mike Ditka unleashed one of his most explosive rants in years after a blatant, uncalled facemask by Vikings…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t